Latest On Zambia

Published: May - 2003

We checked on the situation in Zambia at press time, and we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't tell you the ambiguity about many of that country's best hunting areas is still not over. Yes, the long awaited court hearings over the areas have been held. And, yes, the judge is expected to make a decision in weeks. The bad news is, it is simply not certain that the court is going to decide in favor of the government - which means in favor of the safari companies that have been allocated the areas and that have already booked hunts this year. Moreover, it turns out that the cases that involve the areas were heard by two different courts, which raises the specter of contradictory rulings and new appeals.

All of this does not mean hunting won't go forward in Zambia this year. Indeed it will, on affected as well as unaffected areas. We have that assurance directly from one of the main government lawyers involved in the case, Butler Sitali, who said there were plans in place to open hunting on the affected areas as soon as the court speaks, no matter who wins and no matter what kind of appeal is filed.

We realize our continued reporting on this matter is winning us the enmity of agents and outfitters, but we do so because individual Hunting Report subscribers pay our bills, and you expect us to share what we know and think. And our considered opinion is, you should be careful until further notice if you have a hunt booked on any of the following areas: Mumbwa, Nyampala, Mwanya, Chifunda, Upper Lupande and Sichifulo. We hope to have better news shortly.